The Lost Dutchman Mine -- The Myth and Reality
The Lost Dutchman Mine is thought by some to be just a story about a prospector, a German immigrant named Jacob Waltz. The details have been in dispute for over 100 years. What we do know is that on his many expeditions to The Superstition Mountains, Jacob returned with gold ore among the richest ever assayed by the US Geological Service and that he explained the mine's location while dying from pneumonia in 1891.
Some think Jacob found a deposit of ore in the canyons of the Superstitions about 25 miles SE from Phoenix in the 1860's. Others believe that he discovered a hidden cache of gold from the Peralta Family -- that the ore was too rich to come from a single deposit. Others believe that the gold was hidden by the Apaches who may have attacked a pack train, possibly from the workings of Mexicans or Spaniards in mines further North.
What is known is that there is gold all through this region. In the Antelope Mountain range about 100 miles North, for example, Abraham Peeples collected $1,800 of gold on a single day in 1863 by scratching in the rocky earth of a placer deposit with butcher knives. Antelope Mountain became known as Rich Hill. And we know that a recent US Geological Survey confirmed that this area is highly mineralized and thus likely to hold quantities of gold. More than $3 million in bullion has been taken from the nearby Mammoth and Black Queen Mines.
So, here's where we are: Until now, the evidence on Jacob's mine was never convincing one way or the other. This 242 square mile area is hostile, desolate and difficult, making discovery of the mine difficult, even with detailed directions from Weaver's Needle, a very prominent pinnacle in the mountains.
But we've discovered the actual location of the mine and are providing each team with a vehicle, a grubstake, an accurate map and the opportunity to mine as much gold as you can. You'll have to plan the route you'll take and optimize your selection of resources so handle the weather and the journey
Some bad news is that the US Department of Agriculture has closed the Superstition Wilderness Area to mineral extraction to comply with the Wilderness Act approved by Congress in 1984. The good news is that we have a one-time permit for a 20 day adventure, starting in a few minutes. So, we'll have time to get to the mountains, mine gold and return to Last Chance Gulch with as much gold as we can.
(This is how we introduce the exercise to the audience - the reality still remains a mystery.)
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Contact Scott Simmerman for a question or more information at Scott@squarewheels.com